As I’m preparing for New Year’s Eve, which basically involves me preparing for a road trip to Nevada the next morning, I can’t help but think of past years and how I celebrated.
I’ve done the whole shebang where I went out to a nice dinner, then a club and got really sick. Then there were two years in a row where I attempted to watch “Blade” but fell asleep as soon as the movie started. Another was at my friend’s house where I was given a baggie filled with 12 grapes and told to eat one with each strike at midnight. Then there are my parents’ traditions which were quite lengthy in preparation for the upcoming year: the entire house had to be clean (including laundry) to welcome in the New Year, you had to have money in your pocket/wallet so money will come to you all year long and you had to wear polka dots which resembles coins, and thereby brings wealth to the person wearing it. Then my parents started making black eyed peas to eat on New Year’s Eve. Luckily, I was already living on my own.
Here’s a round up of traditions from around the world. Some strange. Some not to strange.
Mexico/Spain: With each of the 12 chimes of the clock, they eat a grape while making a wish with each one. Those who want to find love wear red underwear or yellow for money.
Peru: Walking around the block with the suitcase will bring the person the journey of their dreams.
Philippines: Habit of wearing clothes with circular patterns like polka dots, this signifies the belief that circles attract money and fortune.
Romana: Romanians had a tradition of listening to hear if the farm animals talked on New Years Day. If the animals talked it was considered bad luck so they are relived when they do not hear any talking animals.
Whatever tradition you celebrate, have a happy new year!
My Burning Kitchen 
In (Northern) Italy, the tradition is to eat cotechino sausage (or zampone) as well as lentils. The lentils represent coins, and the more you eat, the more wealth you will find in the new year.My family's traditions include:chocolate wafer icebox cake similar to this one – but in the 50's style log form so that all the wafers are mushy!clam dip that really doesn't taste like clams at allshrimp cocktailspinach balls aka Hulk NutsThis year I'm stuck at my house, since we're closing out 08 with 8 inches of snow! (My dad's out plowing the roads, he works for their town highway department, and I've had enough ice skating a l'automobile for one day!)
Wearing polka dots sounds like the worst tradition of any tradition in the history of the universe.I am going to wear a clock like flava flav. I don't know what that means but I will be stylin'.
Ha ha! When I read the polka dots thing, I just KNEW Jenn had posted. She would DIE if she had to do that!!!When I was growing up in the South, my Mom would make a big pot of black-eyed peas on NYD. I don't think I liked them, so I never ate them. The tradition was to hide a dime in them (Hello choking hazard!!!) and whoever found it would have good luck. She'd also make a corned beef and cabbage, but I think that's more Irish or something than Southern. P.S. We are not Irish. Hmmm.P.S. #2 Have a great trip and see you at Comic-Con 2009, if not sooner. We should totally meet up at Porto's in Burbank.